'There is no acting, only reacting to the space.'In his bestselling book The Actor and the Target, Declan Donnellan laid out a fresh and radical approach to acting that has inspired actors around the world.Now, in The Actor and the Space, he develops and extends those ideas, exploring that most profound source of vitality in life as well as performance: the space around us.Tackling fundamental questions that face any actor – What makes performance better? How do I create a space for my character to live in? How do I tap into that space, and draw energy from it? – Donnellan offers a universal set of keys to unlock the mysteries of performance.Full of insightful precepts, acute psychology and practical, hands-on advice, the book presents a bold new way of thinking about acting, illustrated throughout with line-by-line analysis of scenes from Macbeth to show how it works in rehearsal and performance.Essential reading for any actor or theatre director, The Actor and the Space is also a fascinating distillation of the work of a world-leading director that will reward and enrich anyone with an interest in theatre.'A hand grenade of a book. It contains all the humility and chutzpah you need to work in the theatre.' Cate Blanchett'A wonderful book. Few directors think as deeply or perceptively about the art of acting as Declan Donnellan. This is an essential text for the actor, supremely useful, practical, elegant and profound.' Matthew Macfadyen'Beautifully clear. This generous vision takes a very complex art form and makes it all seem so simple. The whole book is a key. Unlocking the problems actors face as they try to accept another reality long enough to let the audience get a glimpse of the best our art can offer – a glimpse into themselves.' Adrian Lester 'Declan Donnellan's profound insight and point of departure is that great theatre, like a child's sandcastle, inhabits a vulnerable and ever-changing space between the safe and the dangerous. There is a whole lot of wisdom in this book – about tragedy, human psychology, words, dread and about how great acting really works – conveyed with remarkable clarity and simplicity. It's worth sharing with non-actor friends for its insights into Macbeth alone. Most of all, it's a distillation of hard-won lessons learned from decades of immersion in the mysteries of theatre by one of the great directors of our day.' James Shapiro, Shakespeare scholar and author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

A revised and updated edition of Declan Donnellan's bestselling book, a fresh and radical approach to acting by a world-famous director.'Cuts open every generalisation about acting and draws out gleamingly fresh specifics' Peter Brook'Explains Donnellan's highly practical system and sheds unique light on one of the greatest directors of acting in our time' Le Monde'Hugely practical and never gets lost in theory' El Pais'A gripping read, as acute about the psychology of lying as it is about the art of acting' Guardian'Rooted in modern theatre, modern psychology and, above all, modern reality' Izvestia'Unpretentious, straightforward, and pierced with acute insight' Kommersant

This brilliant adaptation of the classic novel by a well-known writer uses seven actors to play all of the roles. The fluid setting moves easily from one simply suggested location to another.-Flexible cast

Thebes is under attack. In a bloody battle outside the city's gates, the sons of Oedipus fight to the death. King Creon issues an edict: Eteocles, who nobly defended Thebes against his brother and the invading army, is to be buried a hero; the body of his treacherous brother must be left to rot. Antigone and her uncle are locked in conflict. With no burial rites, Antigone knows that her brother Polynices' soul will be denied passage to the underworld and the gods will be offended. As the new king, Creon cannot ignore her actions - her defiance is a matter of national security.

'There is no acting, only reacting to the space.'In his bestselling book The Actor and the Target, Declan Donnellan laid out a fresh and radical approach to acting that has inspired actors around the world.Now, in The Actor and the Space, he develops and extends those ideas, exploring that most profound source of vitality in life as well as performance: the space around us.Tackling fundamental questions that face any actor – What makes performance better? How do I create a space for my character to live in? How do I tap into that space, and draw energy from it? – Donnellan offers a universal set of keys to unlock the mysteries of performance.Full of insightful precepts, acute psychology and practical, hands-on advice, the book presents a bold new way of thinking about acting, illustrated throughout with line-by-line analysis of scenes from Macbeth to show how it works in rehearsal and performance.Essential reading for any actor or theatre director, The Actor and the Space is also a fascinating distillation of the work of a world-leading director that will reward and enrich anyone with an interest in theatre.'A hand grenade of a book. It contains all the humility and chutzpah you need to work in the theatre.' Cate Blanchett'A wonderful book. Few directors think as deeply or perceptively about the art of acting as Declan Donnellan. This is an essential text for the actor, supremely useful, practical, elegant and profound.' Matthew Macfadyen'Beautifully clear. This generous vision takes a very complex art form and makes it all seem so simple. The whole book is a key. Unlocking the problems actors face as they try to accept another reality long enough to let the audience get a glimpse of the best our art can offer – a glimpse into themselves.' Adrian Lester 'Declan Donnellan's profound insight and point of departure is that great theatre, like a child's sandcastle, inhabits a vulnerable and ever-changing space between the safe and the dangerous. There is a whole lot of wisdom in this book – about tragedy, human psychology, words, dread and about how great acting really works – conveyed with remarkable clarity and simplicity. It's worth sharing with non-actor friends for its insights into Macbeth alone. Most of all, it's a distillation of hard-won lessons learned from decades of immersion in the mysteries of theatre by one of the great directors of our day.' James Shapiro, Shakespeare scholar and author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare

A revised and updated edition of Declan Donnellan's bestselling book, a fresh and radical approach to acting by a world-famous director.'Cuts open every generalisation about acting and draws out gleamingly fresh specifics' Peter Brook'Explains Donnellan's highly practical system and sheds unique light on one of the greatest directors of acting in our time' Le Monde'Hugely practical and never gets lost in theory' El Pais'A gripping read, as acute about the psychology of lying as it is about the art of acting' Guardian'Rooted in modern theatre, modern psychology and, above all, modern reality' Izvestia'Unpretentious, straightforward, and pierced with acute insight' Kommersant

This brilliant adaptation of the classic novel by a well-known writer uses seven actors to play all of the roles. The fluid setting moves easily from one simply suggested location to another.-Flexible cast

Thebes is under attack. In a bloody battle outside the city's gates, the sons of Oedipus fight to the death. King Creon issues an edict: Eteocles, who nobly defended Thebes against his brother and the invading army, is to be buried a hero; the body of his treacherous brother must be left to rot. Antigone and her uncle are locked in conflict. With no burial rites, Antigone knows that her brother Polynices' soul will be denied passage to the underworld and the gods will be offended. As the new king, Creon cannot ignore her actions - her defiance is a matter of national security.